Switch-operating mechanism.



No. 735,826. V PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903. T. RUNDORFR' SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

AQPLIGATION FILED FEB. 9, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,826, dated August 11, 1903.

Application filed February 9, 1903. Serial No. 142,623. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, THEODORE RUNDOREF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the count'yof Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Mechanism and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in switch-operating mechanisms; and it consists in a sector or swinging member suspended from a car in suitable relation tothe track upon which the car runs, means for engaging a projection carriedby a switch, means for normally holding the said projection out of engagement with the switch, and means for bringing said projection into engagement with said switch.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described,

and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of one end of a car, showing my improved switch-operating mechanism pivotally mounted upon the platform thereof, a portion of the step and platform of the car being broken away to more clearly show the operation and construction of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my improved switch-actuating means applied to a switch. Fig. 3 is an end view of the switch-bar with its actuating-arms.

This invention relates to that class of switch operating mechanisms in which a switch-engaging member is carried by the platform of the car so arranged that the motorman or other operator of the car may dopress the said mechanism by foot, so as to 0perate the switch when desired.

The mechanism, as illustrated in the drawings, which shows a practical form of the de- Vice, comprises a pivoted member 1, which is journaled at 2 to a bracket 3, secured to the platform 4 of a car. The pivoted member is preferably made in the form of a sector, one end of which projects upwardly through an elongated slot 5 to a suitable distance above the platform 4, this end of the sector 1 being provided with a step or foot-engaging end portion 6, which may be reached by the foot of the car-driver or motorman for depressing the sector. The sector is preferably weighted, as by the weight 7, secured to the outer end thereof.- The sector may be made of a solid piece, if desired, but is preferably formed with an arm portion connected with the pivotal point by spokes,.as 8. The sector carries a projection 9 upon its rim portion, which when the sector is depressedextends to a point in suitable proximity to the track to engage a portion of the switch.

The switch mechanism is preferably of simple a form as possible, and I have shown my improved switch, which is used inconjunction with the sector and consists of a switch-bar 10, pivoted at 11 to a bed-plate 12. The bed-plate is formed with a lateral recess 13, in which laterally-projecting arms 14:, carried by the switch-bar 10, are located. Each of the arms 14 carries an upwardly-projecting lug or stud l5 and 16. The projection 15 will thus be arranged upon the inside of the track, while .the projection 16 is on the outside of the track. Each car carries two sectors 1, one of said sectors being arranged upon the platform 4 opposite the inner stud 15,

while the other sector is arranged upon the. platform so as to strike the other stud 16.. The studs 15 and 16 preferably project a short distance above the rails of the track, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that when the footbar 6 of the sector 1 is depressed the projection 9 on that particular sector will be brought into the positions shown in full lines in.Fig. 1that is, in the path ot' its corresponding stud 15 or 16, engaging said stud and moving the switch-bar to one side or the other, according to which way it is desired to set the switch. A car approaching aswitch, as shown in Fig. 2, and having to run to one side upon the switch the motorman or driver will depress the sector 1 which is opposite the stud 15,so thatits projection 9 will engage said stud and force the arm 14 around the pivot-point 11 until the switch-bar is thrown against the guard-rail 17 of the switch. As soon as the switch-bar has been forced thus far by the sector the stud 15 will raise the projection 9, the said sector and projection passing over the stud 15. The motorman will then remove his foot from the tread-plate 6, and the weight 7 will restore the sector to its normal position, with the projection 9 lifted out of the path of the studs. Another car following this setting of the switch and it being necessary to run the same upon the straight track the outer sector 1 will be depressed, so that its projection 9 will engage the stud 16 and restore the switch-bar 10 to the position shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that the position of the switch can be entirely controlled without the operator getting down from the car or even stopping the car.

The switch-bar 10 is preferably pivoted to the bed-plate 12, as shown in the drawings, the said bar being formed at its thickened end with a bifurcated portion 18, which fits upon the tongue or projection 19, which extends into the recess 13. The pivot-pin 11 is inserted through apertures formed in the bifurcated portion of the switch-bar for pivotally holding the said bar in place.

The mechanism can be applied to streetcars, railroads, or other places where it is novel or useful to throw a switch without having to dismount from the platform of the car.

The device is exceedingly simple and not likely to get out of order readily, and yet is such that perfect control can be had of the switch from the platform of a car.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A switch mechanism comprising a pivoted member journaled upon the platform of a car, one end of said member projecting above the platform, a projection carried by said member and arranged in the path of a portion of the switch-point to engage and operate it, and means for normally holding said projection out of the path of said switchpoint, substantially as described.

2. A switch-operating mechanism comprising a pivoted sector mounted upon the platform of a car, one end of said sector projecting through a slot in the platform, a projection on said sector for engaging a portion of a switch, and a weight upon the sector for normally holding said projection out of engagement with the said switch, substantially as described.

3. A switch-operating mechanism comprising a sector, a bracket for pivotally supporting the same upon the platform of a car, one end of said sector projecting above the platform and the other end provided with a weight, a projection carried by said sector extending into the path of a portion of a switch, said switch cooperating with said sector and having a laterally-extending arm, and an upwardly-projecting stud upon said arm arranged to be struck by the projection on the sector, substantially as described.

4.. A switch-operating mechanism comprising pivoted sectors mounted upon the platform of a car, one end of each sector projecting above the platform of a car and the other end provided with a weight, projections carried by the said sectors for engaging the switch, a switch member cooperating with the sectors and provided with oppositely-exten ding arms, upwardly-extending studs carried by said arms, one stud being arranged opposite the path of each sector so as to be struck by the projections of said sectors when the foot-engaging ends of said sectors are depressed, substantially as described.

5. Aswitch mechanism comprisingaswitchbar, a bed-plate carrying the same having a lateral recess formed therein, laterally-extending arms carried by the switch-bar and moving in said recess, a tongue or projection from the bed-plate extending into said recess, the end of the switch-bar being bifurcated to engage said projection, a pivotpin passing through the switch-bar and projection, upwardly-extending studs carried by the said lateral arms, and pivoted sectors carried by the platform of a car for engaging said studs and moving the switch, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE RUNDORFF.

Witnesses: 4

M. J. MERCER, FLORENCE FITZPATRICK. 

